JP3037023B2 - Character generator - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a character generator used for print output or screen display of a computer typesetting machine or a word processor, and more particularly to a character generator for generating outline font characters.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In general, a character generator is used for a print output or a screen display of a computer typesetting machine or a word processor.

In recent years, these devices have been able to output characters of various sizes by using outline fonts. A character generator for generating outline font characters has a feature that enlarged characters and reduced characters can be easily generated by a scaling operation. Utilizing this feature, creating a new character by combining a plurality of ready-made characters or part of a character is referred to as character combination, and the created new character is referred to as a composite character.

[0004] As an example of a composite character, when a circled character is output in a printing system or the like, no data relating to the circled character is held at all, and a character "の" for synthesis and a character obtained by reducing a normal character are output. Is output by enclosing all characters.

[0005] Also, split characters (characters in which the size of one character is divided into four parts vertically, horizontally, and one character is assigned to each position)
Is composed by combining four characters each having a size of one-half of a full-width to create a divide by any four characters.

[0006] In the character creation system, a plurality of ready-made characters are reduced or moved to be synthesized, and thus the above-described new split characters and characters with parentheses can be freely created.

[0007] As described above, the character generator is also used for generating a composite character that creates a new character by combining existing characters.

FIG. 7 is a block diagram showing an example of a conventional character generator as described above, FIG. 8 is a format diagram showing the contents of a line width definition storage unit in the example of FIG. 7, and FIG. 4 is an example of FIG. FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating an example of a character shape stored in a character shape storage unit.
(A) is a plan view showing a relationship between a character shape and a contour point,
5B is a format diagram showing the relationship between contour points and coordinate values, FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a line width correction calculation method in the line width calculation unit in the example of FIG. 7, and FIG. FIG. 6B is a plan view showing the relationship between the contour points, the coordinate values, and the line width increasing / decreasing operator, and FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram showing the procedure of character synthesis in the example of FIG. It is. FIG. 3 is a plan view showing an example of split characters synthesized by the embodiment of FIG. 1 and the example of FIG.

In FIG. 7, a character shape storage unit 1 stores character shape information (character shape) corresponding to a character code signal 21. The character code signal 21 is obtained by encoding each character, and corresponds to a JIS code or the like. As an example of the character shape storage unit 1, a character shape is stored in the order of codes, and for Japanese, several thousand characters are stored for one typeface.

[0010] Each character shape is stored in the character shape memory unit 1, as shown in FIG. 4 (a), and displays the characteristic points on the contour (contour points) P ₀ to P _9, each contour point Are represented by respective X coordinate values and Y coordinate values (X ₀ , Y _{0 to} X ₉ , Y ₉ ), as shown in FIG.

The character shape information (character shape) stored in the character shape storage unit 1 is output to the magnification calculator 2 as a character shape signal 23a. to shrink. The magnification code signal 22 is a value indicating an enlargement ratio or a reduction ratio (magnification value) when enlarging or reducing the character shape (character design) in the character shape storage unit 1, and also includes a synthesis magnification value when performing character synthesis. It is included in this value. For example, the character design is composed of 100 dots, and the reduced character is 5 characters.
When it is composed of 0 dots, the magnification value is 0.5. When combining four characters, the magnification value of each character is further reduced to half, that is, 0.25. That is, the magnification value M is set by the following equation.

Magnification value M = (dot size of output character / dot size of character design) × reduction ratio for synthesis The coordinate value of the contour point after being enlarged or reduced to the magnification value M is
Assuming that the coordinate values of the original contour point are (X _i , Y _i ), (MX
_i , MY _i ).

The line width calculation unit 5 corrects the line width of the character after the enlargement or reduction. In this operation, first, the line width selection unit 4 selects a line width value 25 corresponding to the magnification code signal 22 from the information stored in the line width definition storage unit 3.

The line width definition storage unit 3 stores, as shown in FIG.
Each value (M ₀ ~M _i) the line width of the vertical line value 25a (X _M0 ~X _Mi) and the horizontal line of the line width value 25b (Y _M0 ~Y _Mi) has been determined for the magnification code signal 22, These values are stored as a table in correspondence with the magnification code signal 22.

The line width calculating section 5 performs an operation for increasing or decreasing the line width of the character shape according to the line width value 25 from the line width selecting section 4.
This operation, as shown in FIG. 5 (b), the contour point P ₀ ~
Coordinate values of _{P 9 (X 0, Y 0} ~X 9, Y 9) relative to the line width decrease operator (M _X, M _Y) by adding 31, coordinate values _{(X 0, Y 0 ~X 9} , Y ₉ ) has a line width increase / decrease operator (M _X ,
M _Y ) 31 is added as a new coordinate value, and FIG.
As shown by the dotted line in (a), the line width is increased or decreased by moving each contour point to its new coordinate value. The line width increase / decrease operators (M _X , M _Y ) 31 are given the same value for all contour points P _{0 to} P ₉ .

The character synthesizing unit 6 performs a synthesizing process on the character shape information 23b generated by the line width calculating unit 5 in accordance with an instruction of the synthesizing information 24, and accumulates the designated number of characters. The combining information 24 is obtained by encoding the type of the combining process, and the types of the combining process include split characters, characters with parentheses, and characters with circles. The character synthesizing unit 6 shifts the character shape information 23c to the coordinates of the position where the character shape information 23c is synthesized in accordance with the type of the synthesis information 24, and as many character shape information 23c as necessary for synthesis.
To accumulate.

For example, as shown in FIG.
To create a four-character horizontal division, the first character "stock" 41a, the second character "formula" 41c, the third character "kai" 41e, and the fourth character "sha" 41g Each is generated at a magnification of 0.5 times the size of the original full-width character, and each is generated at the first character position 41.
The coordinates are shifted to the b-th to fourth character positions 41h, and the process ends when the arrangement of all the characters is completed.

As a method of synthesizing a character, in addition to the method described above, the shape of the outline of the character is converted into image data.
There are a method of superimposing image data, a method of forming a character shape of one character, a method of directly calculating coordinates, and a method of storing character shapes and movement amounts of a plurality of characters, which are convenient for post-processing. Good methods are adopted.

As shown in FIG. 3 (a), the line width of the split character 42a synthesized by the above processing is
Is half the line width of Also, when creating (designing) a split character composed of four characters as one character from the beginning, if the line width is the same as the line width of the full-width character, the space between the lines disappears and the character is crushed. Therefore, in this case, as shown in FIG.
3 is about 70% of the line width. As described above, when the four-character cutout is created by combining the full-width characters, the line width becomes narrower than when designing the cut-off character as a single character from the beginning.

A similar phenomenon occurs when parenthesized characters, rounded characters, and the like are created by combining double-byte characters.

[0021]

As described above, the conventional character generation device is designed to reduce the size of double-byte characters, parenthesized characters, rounded characters, and the like and synthesize them.
There is a problem in that the line width of those characters becomes narrower and the balance of the characters is lost when printing is performed in combination with other full-width characters.

[0022]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a character generation device for storing character shape information corresponding to a character code signal, and storing the character shape information in the character shape storage portion in accordance with a magnification code signal. A magnification calculation unit for enlarging or reducing the character shape information, and a synthesis line width definition storage unit for defining and storing a line width value of a character corresponding to the magnification code signal and a line width value for a synthesized character. A synthesis line width selection unit that selects a line width value specified by the magnification code signal from the synthesis line width definition storage unit, and the character shape information based on the line width value from the synthesis line width selection unit. And a character synthesizing unit that generates a synthesized character based on the output signal of the line width arithmetic unit and the synthesizing information.

According to a second character generation device of the present invention, a character shape storage unit for storing character shape information corresponding to a character code signal, and the character shape information stored in the character shape storage unit based on a magnification code signal A magnification calculating unit for enlarging or reducing a character, a line width definition storage unit for defining and storing a line width value of a character corresponding to the magnification code signal, and a combining unit for defining and storing a line width value for a combined character. A line width definition storage unit, a line width selection unit that selects a line width value specified by the magnification code signal from the line width definition storage unit, and a line width selection unit that is specified from the synthesis line width definition storage unit by the synthesis information. A line width selection unit for selecting a line width value obtained by the user, and a line width calculation unit for increasing or decreasing the line width of the character shape information according to the line width value from the line width selection unit or the line width selection unit for synthesis. , The output signal of the line width calculation unit and And a character synthesizing section for generating a composite character by the formation information.

[0024]

Next, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing one embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a format diagram showing the contents of a line width definition storage unit for synthesis in the embodiment of FIG.

In FIG. 1, the configurations and operations of the character shape storage unit 1, the magnification operation unit 2, the line width operation unit 5, and the character synthesis unit 6 are the same as those of the conventional example shown in FIG. Detailed description is omitted.

As shown in FIG. 2, the synthesizing line width definition storage unit 13 stores the respective values (M _{0 to} M
relative to _i), a vertical line of a line width value 25a for the same ordinary character line width definition storage unit 3 of the conventional example (X _M0 ~X _Mi) and the horizontal line of the line width value 25a (Y _M0 ~Y _Mi) In addition, the information D1 for synthesis
Vertical line width value 25c1 (D1X _{M0 to} D1X _Mi ) and horizontal line width value 25d1 (D1Y _{M0 to} D1Y _Mi )... Vertical line width value 25cj (DjX _{M0 to} D) for synthesis information Dj
jX _Mi ) and the line width value 25dj of the horizontal line (DjY _{M0 to} Dj
Y _Mi ) is defined and stored. These line width values are set to values larger than the line width values for ordinary characters. These correspond to a plurality of types of the composition information 24. This is because line widths at the time of combining are different between, for example, a crest character and a circled character even in the same combining.

The composition line width selection unit 14 selects a line width value corresponding to the composition information 24 from the information stored in the composition line width definition storage unit 13. At this time, a line width value designated by the information for synthesis 24 is selected from a plurality of pieces of information for synthesis and sent to the line width calculation unit 5 as a line width value 25.

Next, the operation of the character generator constructed as described above will be described only for the parts different from the conventional example.

The line width selecting section 14 for synthesis outputs the information 24 for synthesis.
Is input, the line width value designated by the composition information 24 is selected from the information stored in the composition line width definition storage unit 13 and sent to the line width calculation unit 5 as a line width value 25.
The line width calculation unit 5 performs an operation of increasing or decreasing the line width of the character shape using the input line width value 25.

As for the line width value for combination, even if the size of the character is the same, a line width value larger than that of a case where full-width characters are reduced is designated, and therefore, as shown in FIG. The line width of the crest 42c becomes large. In this case, since the line width value for combination is set to 70% of the full-width character, the dividing character is designed as one character from the beginning, and the dividing character 42b in FIG.
Has the same line width as.

It is to be noted that information for synthesis D1... Information D for synthesis
Separate the line width value for j from the line width value for normal character vertical lines,
A combination line width definition storage unit that stores only the line width value for combination information D1 and a combination line width selection unit corresponding to the combination information Dj are provided, and these are added to the example of FIG. By doing so, the same operation and effect as in the above embodiment can be obtained.

[0033]

As described above, the character generator according to the present invention comprises a line width definition storage unit for storing a line width value to be used when creating a composite character, and a composition information. A combination line width selection unit for selecting a designated line width value from the line width values stored in the combination line width definition storage unit, thereby creating a composite character by reducing full-width characters. At this time, there is an effect that it is possible to create a composite character having an appropriate line width, and thus it is possible to produce a composite character having excellent quality.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a format diagram showing contents of a synthesis line width definition storage unit of the embodiment of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a plan view showing an example of split characters synthesized by the embodiment of FIG. 1 and the example of FIG. 7;

4A and 4B are diagrams illustrating an example of a character shape stored in a character shape storage unit in the example of FIG. 7; FIG. 4A is a plan view illustrating a relationship between the character shape and a contour point; FIG. 4 is a format diagram showing a relationship between the coordinates and coordinate values.

FIGS. 5A and 5B are diagrams showing a method of calculating a line width in a line width calculating unit in the example of FIG. 7, wherein FIG. 5A is a plan view showing a relationship between a character shape before and after correction and a contour point, and FIG. FIG. 8 is a format diagram showing a relationship among a point, a coordinate value, and a line width increasing / decreasing operator.

FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram showing a procedure of character combination in the example of FIG. 7;

FIG. 7 is a block diagram illustrating an example of a conventional character generation device.

8 is a format diagram showing the contents of a line width definition storage unit in the example of FIG. 7;

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 1 character shape storage unit 2 magnification calculation unit 3 line width definition storage unit 4 line width selection unit 5 line width calculation unit 6 character synthesis unit 13 synthesis line width definition storage unit 14 synthesis line width selection unit 21 character code signal 22 magnification Code signal 23a Character shape signal 23b / 23c Character shape information 24 Information for synthesis 25 / 25a / 25b Line width value 25c1, 25d1 to 25cj / 25dj Line width value 41a First character 41b First character position 41c Second character 41d Second character position 41e Third character character 41f Third character position 41g Fourth character character 41h Fourth character position 42a, 42b, 42c Split character 43 Full-width character

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] 1. A character shape storage unit for storing character shape information corresponding to a character code signal, and a magnification calculation unit for enlarging or reducing the character shape information stored in the character shape storage unit according to a magnification code signal. A synthesizing line width definition storage unit for defining and storing a line width value of a character corresponding to the magnification code signal and a line width value for a synthesized character, and the magnification code signal from the synthesizing line width definition storage unit. A line width selecting unit for selecting a designated line width value, a line width calculating unit for increasing or decreasing the line width of the character shape information according to the line width value from the line width selecting unit for combining, and the line width A character generating apparatus comprising: a character synthesizing unit that generates a synthesized character based on an output signal of an arithmetic unit and synthesis information. 2. A character shape storage unit for storing character shape information corresponding to a character code signal, and a magnification calculation unit for enlarging or reducing the character shape information stored in the character shape storage unit according to a magnification code signal. A line width definition storage unit that defines and stores a line width value of a character corresponding to the magnification code signal, a combining line width definition storing unit that defines and stores a line width value for a combining character, A line width selection unit that selects a line width value specified by the magnification code signal from a width definition storage unit; and a line width selection unit that selects the line width value specified from the line width definition storage unit for synthesis by the synthesis information. A line width selection unit, a line width calculation unit configured to increase or decrease the line width of the character shape information according to the line width value from the line width selection unit or the synthesis line width selection unit, and an output signal of the line width calculation unit And the composition information A character generation device comprising: a character synthesizing unit that generates the character.